Nice review guys!
I've been enjoying my Gilmore Lite, but its my first headphone amp so I really don't have anything to compare it to. Nice to know it holds up well against the other amps in the Headamp line!
My experience with Justin is that he's not a
bad businessman (he doesn't rip people off), he's just not a particularly
good businessman (like Norm at Headsave or how I've read Mikhail can be). He's slow, and not very proactive in his communication. The vibe I've always gotten from him is like he's got a day job, and Headamp is something he does on the side.
Lots of DIYers have made Gilmore amps, and lots of them would probably make one for you, if you want. However, no one makes Gilmore amps like Justin! Its clear from the fact that all the Headamp products sound a little different, just getting the
Gilmore circuit right isn't enough, the implementation makes a difference. Judging by the success of this new Lite, Justin's experience with the Gilmore circuit is allowing him to make better and better sounding products. Not to mention they look awesome!
When I ordered my Lite I knew it was going to be late, just from what I'd read about Justin on Head-fi, so I decided not to let it bother me. Once my 21 days had passed, I started emailing him weekly for updates and he always got back to me within the day (he'd had some quality issues with his silkscreen vendor). When it shipped, it went out priority mail for no additional charge.
IMO, considering the quality and value of the new Lite, having to exercise a little patience to get one is well worth it.